


Three Minutes

by EzzyDean



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 14:37:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1270168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even Nagisa breaks down sometimes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Minutes

The afternoon had started just like any of their study sessions did.  They sat down to work with Nagisa chattering away about this and that while Rei set up their study space.  Books, pencils, notes all neatly spread out between the two of them.  They both had their strengths and weaknesses in school, although Rei always worked harder at understanding where he was falling behind in understanding than his friend seemed to, so studying like this was a very mutually beneficial arrangement.

When he could get Nagisa to focus properly that is.  

He was doing fine today until they tried to start their Math work.  Each time Rei had pulled out the book or paper or notes Nagisa had managed to side track him with an amusing story or by asking him something about some other class.  He knew Nagisa really didn’t like Math but after the ninth attempt to start their work Rei was getting fed up.

"You can’t joke your way out of it forever.  If you need help I’ll help you.  You know that."  Rei had given his friend a smile to soften his words and Nagisa grinned at him sheepishly.

"I know.  I just," he had sighed and scrunched his nose at the books, "really don’t understand it very well."

"What aren’t you getting?"

They had scooted together and bowed over their books and notes, Nagisa scribbling here and there while Rei pointed and calmly explained the different theories and pieces the blonde appeared to be missing.  After a little while, when Nagisa seemed to have it under control, he drifted back to his own homework, quickly working through the problems and glancing up to check on Nagisa every now and then.

When Nagisa would catch him looking he’d give him a big grin and wave Rei back towards his own work.  When Rei finally finished he stood with a stretch and headed out to grab them both some refreshments.  There was a new sweetened drink that his parent’s had bought that he was sure Nagisa would love.  It would be a treat for their hard work this afternoon.

A quick bathroom break and a visit to the kitchen later he returned to his room and froze in the doorway.  Nagisa still on the floor beside the table but he had his knees drawn to his chest and his head buried in them.  Muffled sobs were coming from him and he let out a whine before nestling his head further into his knees.

What in the world could have possibly happened while he was gone - three minutes and some odd seconds by the time on his watch - that left Nagisa in this condition?  Rei had seen the other teen crying for attention.  For laughs.  For manipulation.

But he had never seen Nagisa like this.  There was a wild look in his eyes when they met Rei’s for the briefest of moments when he stepped back into the room that had scared him.

"Nagisa?"  Rei asked as softly as he could and still be heard.  He took a cautious step closer noticing that most of their papers and books had been scattered off the low table they had been working on.  His fingers itched to pick up the crumpled pages but there was something more important to focus on.  Nagisa took a huge hitching breath before dropping his head onto his knees again and let out the most heart wrenching sound Rei had ever heard.

He had seen documentaries where animals got wounded or lost their mates where the cries had been less devastating.  Reaching out to his friend he paused when the other teen flinched and stiffened, panic finally starting to creep in on him.  Nagisa wasn’t just playing around to get out of homework.  There was something seriously wrong.

Whimpering breaths filled his room as Rei tried to rack his brain to find a solution.  Nagisa didn’t appear to be hurt and he had only been gone a short amount of time.  So what was wrong?  How could he fix the problem if he couldn’t establish it?  The blonde curled up into himself even further.  Thinking wasn’t helping any and he had already been standing here for far too long just watching his friend suffer.  

So he did what he wanted to do instead of what he thought he should do.

Rei dropped onto the floor beside his friend and pulled the sobbing teen into his lap, wrapping his arms around him.  Had things not been so dire he may have found amusement in the fact that for once he was the one initiating contact when it was usually the other way around.  Instead he sighed in relief when Nagisa tightly returned the embrace.

"I quit."  Rei wasn’t sure he heard the muffled sentence correctly and he rested his chin on Nagisa’s head, tucking the blonde securely against his chest.  Worry filled his eyes as he studied the handful of papers left the table.  Rei’s neat handwriting was smudged here and there as if someone had been gripping the papers tightly with damp hands.  Nagisa’s papers were completely crumpled and torn to shreds.

"Why do you say that?"

"Cause I’m stupid."

"What?  Of course you’re not.  Why would you even think that?"  Rei felt Nagisa’s arms tighten around him even more and he started rubbing the teen’s back gently as Nagisa started sobbing into his chest.  After a few minutes Nagisa’s sobs quieted slightly and he took a couple deep breaths.

"Cause I’m never gonna understand this stuff.  No matter who teaches me or how hard I try I just don’t get it."  Nagisa unlatched one arm so he could tap angrily at his head.  "It just doesn’t connect.  I’m going to fail this class and be held back and I’m gonna let you all down and, and…" His voice fell away and he dug his nose into Rei’s sternum, hiding his face against his sweatshirt. "And I’ll never catch up to any of you."

Rei’s breath caught on Nagisa’s last mumble and his brain raced.  How many times had he thought that very same thing since meeting Nagisa and the others?  How often had he almost been paralyzed by the fear that he’d never prove himself worthy?

He found his mouth moving almost without his consent as words started tumbling haltingly from him.

"Well, Nagisa, you know we all have things we have troubles with."  Nagisa stiffened a little and he hurried on.  "I’m not trying to belittle your feelings or invalidate them or anything.  You have every right to feel upset.  But just because you feel like you can’t accomplish this doesn’t mean you have to quit.  You have people to support you and even if you’re horrible at math there are things you are great at."

Nagisa pulled back from Rei a little so he could meet his eyes and gave him a searching look.  Rei hoped that Nagisa would see whatever he needed to see.  It wasn’t fair that someone so full of life and good cheer towards others could be subjected to such crippling pain and self doubt.  The blonde’s eyes welled up again and he slammed his face into Rei’s chest.  His shirt would be soaked with tears and mucus but Rei held his friend closer anyway.  Giving him whatever comfort he could.

He pressed a kiss into Nagisa’s hair and leaned back against his bed.  If the only thing he could do right now was hold Nagisa until he was done crying then that was what he would do.  Homework and cleaning up the mess could come later.

There were more important things right now.

**Author's Note:**

> [Nagisa crying wasn't my idea. But she wanted it done and I ran with it](http://toxixpumpkin.tumblr.com/post/72813673862/i-want-a-fanfiction-where-nagisa-has-an-actual)


End file.
